Basketball Game Preview: Baker Braves vs. Big Pine Warriors

The Baker Braves will face off against the Big Pine Warriors at 4:00 p.m. on Friday.

On Wednesday, Baker was beaten by Lone Pine 69-38. The defeat continues a trend for the Braves in their matchups with the Golden Eagles: they've now lost nine in a row.

Baker's loss shouldn't obscure the performances of Anthony Ortiz, who went 7 of 12 on his way to 19 points along with six rebounds and four steals, and Anthony Ibarra, who posted 14 points and four steals. With that strong performance, Ortiz is now averaging an impressive 15.1 points per game. Angel Aguayo also deserves some recognition as he posted his first assist of the season.

Meanwhile, Big Pine waltzed into their contest on Tuesday with two straight wins... but they left with three. They breezed by the Cubs to the tune of 70-16. With that win, the Warriors brought their scoring average up to 51.7 points per game.

Big Pine's win came from a few key players Baker will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was DAMIEN HOTTENDORF, who went 6 for 13 en route to 13 points in addition to six boards and six steals. He continues to improve, besting his previous point total in each of the last three games he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of NOAH ERICSON, who went 5 of 6 on his way to 12 points.

Big Pine pushed their record up to 8-2 with the victory, which was their fourth straight at home. The wins came thanks to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 29.3 points per game. As for Baker, their defeat was their first in the league, dropping their league record down to 3-1 and their overall record down to 3-6.

Baker strolled past Big Pine in their previous meeting back in February of 2024 by a score of 54-38. Does Baker have another victory up their sleeve, or will Big Pine turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.